Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby Pose)
Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby Pose) – a.k.a. Dead Bug Pose – is considered both a core exercise and a forward bend. This is a delightful restful pose that promotes relaxation by calming the mind and is an excellent way to start and end the day. It is a beginner yoga pose that stretches the groins and spine while helping to release stress and calm the mind. If you do a few gentle stretches in this pose, just before retiring to bed, you will see it release the tension from your lower back and hips, leaving you feeling looser and tremendously relaxed. To support your neck, you may use prop while doing the pose, such as a folded blanket that you may position between your shoulders and head. Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby Pose) is excellent for both beginners of Yoga as well as advanced students.
How to do Happy Baby Pose
- Start the pose lying on your back. With a deep exhalation, fold your knees and press them into your belly.
- Now with a deep inhalation, clutch the outsides of your feet with both hands. If you have trouble holding them with your hands, use a belt or scarf looped over each instep. Widen your knees a little more than your torso, and then push them up towards your underarms.
- Place each ankle right above each knee in such a way that your shins are at right angles to the floor. Flexing through both heels, without much effort, thrust your feet up into your hands (or scarf or belt) and pull down your hands to create a resistance.
- Coax your thighs in towards your body and push your tailbone down toward the mat as you stretch the spine. Release your pelvis toward the mat and stretch the base of your skull up and away from your neck. At all times, be wary of your hips coming off your mat, so press your tailbone and low back into your mat.
- You may hold the pose for 30 – 60 seconds. To exit the pose, with an exhalation, release your feet and place them back on your mat then rest for a few breaths.
Benefits of Happy Baby Pose
- Slows down heart rate, thus calming the mind and promoting relaxation.
- Helps relieve stress and fatigue
- Releases tension from the lower back area.
- Opens up the chest, shoulders and hips,
- Very gently stretches the hamstrings and inner thighs, back, spine and inner groins
Happy Baby Pose Contraindications
- Knee injury
- Pregnancy
- In case of neck injury do with head supported on a thickly folded Yoga blanket
